Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-12-29
sRAzzLEron.s DEEDS
a Memory OF Arxona's Dick Turpins the
Iono stage R0b60r.

Lone stage Robbsr.
Tucson had the honor of producing
a man named Bill Brazzleton, who
made a business of robbing stages
sinyle-handed. and in all that goes to
make up the wary. skillful and sue
cessful highwayman he took prece-
dcnce of ali his kind and yet holds it.
Bill was nearly thirty years old be-
fore he.went into the business of rob.
hing stage-coaches. His robberies
were all perpetrated in the most ap-
proved manner, and with little or no
danger to his victims, beyond the loss
of their valuables He was the first
and only man in Arizona who eve.
robbed stage-coach alone, and in this
particular he surpassed even the dar-
ing of the two men who ''held up the
train on the Southern Pacific a few
weeks ago. Brazzleton never had an
assistant in any of his robberies, and.
so far as known, never made conf
dant of but one man. and this man
finally betrayed him to the posse of
law officers by whom he was killed.
He once robbed stage containing
seven passengers. all of whom were
prepared for him They knew OF him
and had started cut of Tucson thor
oughly armed
Brazzleton determined to give these
seven men an opportunity to defend
themselves. He posted himself out on
the road about twenty miles from
Tucson, and about eleven o'clock he
saw the coach coming. He was just
over the brow of hill and could not
be seen by the driver or passengers.
He sat on his horse, lcveled his rifle.
and as they came over the hill they
saw both rider and gun and they knew
at once who it was and what it meant.
He commanded them not to move a
hand, and they obeyed. Their re-
volvers hung unused at their sides.
and their rifles lay idle in the bottom
of the coach. They knew it was death
to somebody the moment a move was
made. for Bill was the best shot in
Arizona, and they sat transfixed with
fear He demanded them to get out
one by one. lay down their arms, stand
in a row and divest themselves of all
their money and valuables. This they
did. piling about $4,000 worth OF
treasure up in heap before them.
They were then told to go back in the
coach and drive on. Mr.. Brazzleton
taking possession of every thing that
had been left behind.
Brazxleton took particular delight in
this style of robbery. 1t was pas
sion with him. and he seemed to in.
dnlge it more for the pleasure it gave
him than for the money he secured.
He cared nothing for money for its
own sake and spent but little. as he
neither drank nor gambled. 1t was
no uncommon thing for him to rob
people and then return part or all he
had taken. He once ran foul of Il
newspaper man who had but ten dol
lars. When Brazzleton learned his
business he gave him back five dollars,
with The remark that he would prOba-
bly, need it. He had great regard
for women and would never rob a
stage coach where any of the pas
sengers were women. If he ever
killed anybody l have not heard of
it, but he was, nevertheless,
the terror of the coGntry while he
was at large, and he was hunted for
months like wild beast. The sheriff
of the county in which Tucson is
situated resolved to destroy him at all
hazards, for he was doing a great in
jury to Tie business of this part of the
Territory, all travellers fearing to
come this way. Finally, after one of
his robbcries, he was traced by a
peculiar shoe on his horse to a cer-
tain stable, where. it seems. he was in
the habit of obtaining information re-
garding wealthy travellers from his
only confidant. The latter was a
groom. and, to induce him to betray
Brazzleton. he was hung up by the
heels until he consented to talk. He
agreed to conduct the shcriffs posse
10 Brazzleton's rendezvous. on condi-
ton they would not take their prisoner
alive. For" said he, IF you do
not kill him he will kill me-" He said
he was to take Brazzleton something
TO eat that very night, and that, if
they would accompany him. they |
could see him and kill him.
The sheriff promised to have tho
highwayman shot at sight, and ac-
cordingly the law officers were guided |
to deep, preclpitous mountain gorge |
where there was heavy growth of
timber. The entire posse of six lay
down behind the fallen tree and wait
ed for the coming Of the great high
wayman. BY and by they saw him
approaching. He rode out of the thick
brush into little opening with .
cleaning revolver in his right hand,
which hung rather carelessly at his
side. Those who were there at the
time have told me they had never be-